PV giant JinkoSolar joins RE100, targets 100% renewables by 2025

Chinese solar PV giant JinkoSolar has joined the global RE100 initiative, with a pledge to source 70 per cent of its electricity needs with renewable energy by 2023, and 100 per cent by 2025.

The fairly obvious – and comparatively belated – move by the world’s largest solar module manufacturer comes amid a Climate Summit-inspired flurry of new companies joining the global movement, which now boasts more than 300 members.

Just yesterday, Australian big-four bank ANZ was also named as a new RE100 member, with its own goal of shifting to 100 per cent renewables by 2025.

Astonishingly, Jinko claims to be the world’s first solar manufacturer to sign up as a member of RE100 and EP100 simultaneously.

According to The Climate Group, the solar giant has pledged to lead by example by powering its own operations with 100 per cent renewable electricity by 2025, using solar generated by sister company JinkoPower.

According to Solar Quotes, JinkoPower develops – as at the end of last year – had some 3GW of operational PV capacity deployed and 7GW of new projects in its pipeline.

JinkoSolar, meanwhile, says it will install solar panels on all existing factory rooftops, and build any new factories in regions with access to existing or planned renewable energy sources including as solar, wind and hydro.

The company has also promised to encourage its suppliers to source renewable electricity, and to deploy an “energy management system” by 2030 to improve its energy productivity by 30 per cent by 2025 against a 2016 baseline.

On that front, the company has signed up to the EP100 Cooling Challenge to increase the energy efficiency of its cooling operations, the RE100 website said.

“At JinkoSolar, we care as much about the sustainability of our products as we do the way we build them,” said CEO Kangping Chen in comments on Wednesday.

“Going green is our business, from the inside out, and we’re thrilled to be the world’s first solar manufacturer to be a member of RE100 and EP100 simultaneously.

“It makes business sense to save energy and switch to renewables. Being a responsible corporate citizen is more than just good business practice – it helps make society more sustainable and healthy,” he said.